Gear-cutting machine.



E. J. LBES.

GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED saw. 21, 1906.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED flEPT. 21, 1906. Q1 ,O65,817, Patented June 24, 1913.

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.w W If); #Zame E. J. LEES.

GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1908.

Patented June 24, 1913.

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UNITED s ra rns ERNEST J'. LEES, 0F CLEVE LAND, OHIO,

GOULD ensemmnnr, or NEWARK,

JERSEY.

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW GEAR-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t J n 4 9 \pplieation filed September 21, 1906. Serial no. 335,565.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST J; Lees, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gear-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to mechanism for cutting gears and especially to attachments and. modifications adapted to be applied to a worm-W11eel-cutting machine whereby the latter can be used as-a spur and spiral gear cutter. Y

Said invention is particularly designed to be an improve 'nent'upon the worm-Wheelcutting machine shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 684,634, is-

sued Oct. 15, 1901, to JohnJ. Grant, and consists of the apparatus hereinafter fully described and particularly set forth in the claims. I

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth indetail certain mechanism en'ibodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting but one of various nieehanical forms in wlnehthe principle of the invention may be used.

In said anuexeddrawings:Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine, a small pinion secured to the live-spindleei d asnia-ll portion of the latter being shown in section; Fig. 2 represents broken horizontal section's taken upon the planesiridi'cated by the lines -2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents vertical seeions taken upon the 'planes indicated by the lines 3-43, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a broken vertical view'of the cover of the case containing the I worm-Wheel and the roller-supporting screw shownin Fig. 4-; and Fig. 7 s a horizontal section of said screw, taken upon the plane indicated by the line Y s-7 mg. 4. V L

Upon one side of the frame A of the may-J chine is provided a head-stock a in which is mounted the live-spindle B, and upon the other side of the frame is secured in suitable T-slets by means of bolts '0. a cross-member A which extends across transversely of the machine and is bolted to the rear of the head-stock 11. Upon the cross-mernber A is carried a swiveling arbor-support A provided with double bearings between which is placed a hob A fastened by a suitable spline and key a to the arbor a journaied in the bearings a. The swiveling arborsupport A may be locked in position by a nut- A" upon its outer end Which extends through the cross-member A. Uponthe end of live spindle B is secured a bevel pinion 1) which meshes with a bevel idler B which rotates on, around, and concentric with the swiveling arbor-support A This bevel idler B has a face wide enough to 'mesh with another bevel pinion b by the side of the bevel pinion b, said pinion b being secured to an and of the. hob-arbor a.

wider than the: length of the hub of the g ti jlThe frame A is provided with a bed-plate a/- within wliiehis an opening 0. extending lengthwise ,of the machine, and at the sides of this opening are the dovetailed ways a on which is mounted a carriage C adapted to slide toward'and from the live-spindle B. Rigidly secured to the carriage C is a cylindrical barrel 0 which extends downwardly \\-'ithin the carriage. Within the barrel 0 is rotatably mounted a sleeve D, upon the lower end of which is threaded'a nut d and to the sleeve I) is keyed a worm-wheel d. The latter [meshes with a worm-sleeve splined to a shaft F by means of a key f carried upon sleeve f and a groove f in shaft F. Sleeve f is thus rendered longituto be fixed in a longitudinal position relathe springpawls m, Fig. 'l, hereinafter de scribed, are thrown out of mesh since the continuous feed of the carriage during the cutting is not utilized. However, the com version of and longitudinally movable of the sleeve D is a vertically-movable spindle E adapted to support the work-wheel and feed the latter upwardly so that the teeth may be cut therein, as hereinafter fully explained. The shaft F is connected with the live-spindle B by suitable mechanism which will compel the worm-wheel d, the sleeve D and the spindle E to rotate once while the livespindle B is rotating as many times as there are teeth to be cut in the spur-gear. The specific mechanism for etfectingthis connection is substantially the same as that shown and (ascribed for the same purpose in said Patent No. 684,634, including the shaft G and the change-gearing H.

An-arm 0 secured to the barrel 0 of the carriage C engages in a circumferential groove in the worm-sleeve 1, whereby as the said carriage is moved along the wormsleeve will be also moved upon the shaft F and maintain its proper relation with the worm-wheel 03. The adjustment of the carriage C is effected by means of the feed screw K passing through a threaded bracket is upon the under side of the carria e. This feed-screw K is turned by mean of the hand-wheel la when a spur or spiral gear is being cut, and the location of the carriage C is ascertained as follows before the cutting operation is commenced. Projectionslc Fig.'2, upon an adjustable sleeve K which telescopes over the feed-screw K, represent definite distances, for instance, between each two contiguous projections 76 might be the distance of one inch. The adjustable sleeve K, and, consequently, the projections 70 are longitudinally movable of the feed-screw K, but can be turned so as tively to said feed-screw, all as is plainly shown and described in said Grant Patent No, 684,634. Now if, for instance, a gear of twenty-four inches diameter is to be cut and the hob six inches in diameter, the stop is set at the pitch radius of the gear plus the pitch radius of the hob, i. c. at fifteen inches, and then the bracket is is set up against the stop ic 'by means of the handwheel c', this action effecting the proper location of the carriage before the cutting is commenced. In such of the machine the worm-wheel-cutting machine and spiral gear cutter does not in a worm-cutter, suice all we J-ssary elements of the latter are retained or replaced by elements attesting the s2: 'ne purposes. When thus use... as a WOLIII-WilQl-Clll.ljlllg machine, the fecd screw tinuous feed of the carriage C by means of the following mechanism: A shaft L is mounted in the frame of the machine par- 'allel with the feed-screw K. An arm 1 embraces the shaft L and is connected to it by a tongue-andgroove connection, which causes the arm and shaft to turn simultae neously but permits the arm to slide along the shaft. In the hub of the arm 1 is a circumferential groove which receives one end of an arm 0 secured to the barrel 0. This arm Z extends over the worm-wheel d and carries a friction-roller l which bears upon the top edge of said wheel d, which top edge has a cam or inclined surface d by means of which the shaft L is periodically rocked. This shaft L has also a slotted arm L which is connected by means. of a link S to a pawl-carrier which carries a pawl m which is adapted to engage with a-lratchet-wheel' M frictionally secured to the feed-screw K.

The work-wheel J in which the teeth are to be cut will preferably be secured to a mandrel having a tapered end which will be drawn into, the tapered socket ill the spindle E, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l.

Projecting downwardly from the arms 0' and c and embracing the shafts L and F, respectively, but longitudinally movable thereof, are two pads and a to which are secured the respective ends of a transverse member E which has a centrally-located bearing 0 concentric with the spindle E. This transverse member -E has suitable bearings for a splined shaft e and a worm e secured thereto. This worm e meshes with a worm-wheel cwvhich is internallythreaded and its upon a vertical screw 6 which passes freely through the transverse member E yertically but is not allowed to rotate, having a spline e which runs the whole length of the threaded portion of the screw 0 and is engaged by a fixed key 6 in the central bearing e. The vertical screw 6 has upon its upper end a reduced portion 0 which passes through the small bore of spindle E, there being provided a ball-bearing thrust-collar e at the lower end, and a nut and collar 0 at the upper end, the upper collar being spaced at such a distance from the spindle E as to allow the latter to rotate freely.

The bearing e of the transverse member E is so located that there is just the necessary clearance between its upper face and the lower face of the sleeve D to allow the worm-wheel c" and a thrust collar e -to fit n and rotate. c is red to the shaft F by suitable mechanism F Figl 2, that can be adjusted to feed the spindle E vertically at; any desired ratio to the'rotaticn of, said spindle E. It will K is turned automatically to effect the cow The splined shaft cal gear.

q echanis mFfi whereby the rate a the blankacross the hob may be varied desired. At the same time it will was be mailed that means are provided. specifi cally, change speed gear H, whereby the relatiye rates of rotation of the hob and blank" may be determined as desired. These means being alhir tereonnected it will then be ap parent that by suitable adjustment Of -such mechanism If" and changespe'ed ear H the feed movement ofqthe blank'and t e head of the hob, which the latter must be given-in the cutting of the spiral gears, may be properly correlated. That this statement may be clearly comprehended I shall advert briefly to the operation involved in cutting first an ordinary spur gear with my improved mechanism above described, and then in cutting a. spiral, or as it is sometimes termed, heli- If anyordinary spur gear, that is one having straight teeth, is to be cut, the hob, which may have teeth of any desired sha e and pitch, is secured in the-head at an angle to: the plane of the wheel Change speed gear H is then arranged so as to efiectas-many revolutions of-the hob to the one revolution .of the blank as there are teeth to be. cut in the latter. Upon the blank being now fed upwardly in a line parallel-with its axis across the face of the bob the teeth across the whole width of the i blank face will be cut in a directionparallel with the axis of, the blank as is required for spur wheels, III-thus cutting spur Wheels the rate .of feedof the blank thus across the hob is adjusted to give the best results, having in view the character of the material constituting the blank. and without any regard to the relation of such feed to the relative rotative'mgvements of the blank and hob, If now, however, it is desired to cut spiral teeth upon the blank while the feed of the blank is in the same directionand the rate of such feed is determined. by thesame consideration as before the relative rates of rotation oil blank and hob are carefully correlated with such feed movement by proper I T his for the reason that to cut spiral teeth the hob adj l stment of mechanisms F ,'H.

requires to be secured in the head at an angle to the plane of theblank, greater orless as the case may be, then the' angle of the spiral by an amount equal to the angle of theteeth to be cut. The hob will accordingly, in its rotation, have to-be given a lead either positive or negative, the amount of which lead for each fraction 'of the rotation will have tosecure this correlation of rate of feed and relative rates of rotation so that the advance of the blank and the lead of the hob may be thus correlated for the cutting of any para worm-wheel e, said case being cut through at its lower portion in order to allow a vertical screw e to pass down through but not rotate. vThis vertical screw carries a,roller 6 upon its upperend which is used as follows: \lhen .a gear large enough to need support under the teeth being out is mounted in the spindle E, the clutch upon the end of splinedshaft e is released from the-driving gear 6 and-the shaft 6 is turned by crank 6 until a sufficient pressure and support. is obtained by raising the roller 0 under the edge of the gear. Then the clutch is forced back into mesh with the gear 0 and since the rates of vertical movementof r the" spindle E and roller 6 are arranged to be the same, the initial pressure that is obtained will be continued through the cutting of the gear. When the machine is utilized as a worm-wheelcutting machine, the hand wheel -0 is utilized to adjust the spindle E up or down, the live-spindle B being disconnected by a suitable clutch (not shown) in the rear of the machine. When itis desired to manually position the wo-rm-wheetd, this is efiected by means of the hand-wheel 0, Figs: 1" and 2. The case a is always located directly under the cut-tingcdge of the hob A and is adjustable horizoi'itally in the slot 0, Figs. 2 and 5, along the carriage C to conform to the different diameters of different gears to be cut.

In order to adjust the spit dle. E androller e simultaneously, the clutch e is continued in mesh with gear 6-, and the mechanism' F, Figs. 1 and 2, disconnected,'and then the crank 0 adjusts both the spindle F1 and the roller 6 up or down. v

The new attachments which I have pro-' vvided and which are exemplified in the foregoing descriplion and the accompanying drawings, by the mechanism for producing (l) the rotation of the hob-arbor a at What-, i

ever an le it'may beset. (2) thepositive,

automatic feed of the spindle E, and (3) the feed of the screw 0" and roller e at the same rate of speed as the spindle E, are not confined in their uses to a (spur and spiralgear cutter, but may be applied as separate elements and attachn'ren ts toother relations,

such as a milling machine. Having thus described my invention i .dle; a vertical sleeve rotatably mounted in &

detail, that which I particularly point out and distinctly claim is:

1. In a machine for cutting gears, the combination with a rotary'outter and a blank-receiving spindle mounted in operative relation thereto; of means adapted to rotate said cutter and spindle at desired relative rates of speed; means adapted to move said spindle to .carry the blank across'said cutter; and means adapted to support the edge of the blank, and connected to be moved in unison with aforesaid means.

2. In a machine for cutting ears, the combination of a live-spindle; a s iding car-' riage' movable toward and from said spinsaid carriage; mechanism for .positively rotatmg said sleeve and the livespindle at the desired relative speeds; a spindle in said sleeve; tongue-and-groove connections between said sleeve and spindle; mechanism adapted to positivelv feed the latter upwardly at a predetermined speed relative to saidlive-spindle; and means geared to the livespindle the work-wheel, and adapted to be fed up wardly at the same rate of speed as the sleeve-spindle.

3. In a machine for cutting gears, the combination of a live-spindle; a. sliding carriageinovable toward and from said spindle; a vertical sleeve rotatably mounted in said carriage; mechanism for positively rotating said sleeve and'the live-spindle at the desired relative speeds; a spindle in said sleeve; tongue-andgroove connections between said sleeve and spindle; mechanism adapted to positively feed the latter upwardly at a predetermined speed relative to said live-spindle; and means geared to said feeding mechanism in the ratio of one-toone adapted 'to support the edge of the work-wheel, and includinga vertically-movable screw carrying a friction-roller adapted to engage with said work-wheel.-

4. In a machine for cutting gears the combination of a live-spindle; a sliding carriage movable toward and from said spindle; a vertical sleeve rotatably mounted in said carriage; mechanism for positively rotating said sleeve and the live-spindle at the desired relative speeds;a spindle in said sleeve; tongue-and-groove connections be tween said sleeve and spindle; mechanism adapted .to positively feed the latter up: wardly at a predetermined speed relative to said live-spindle; means geared to the livespindle, adapted to support the edge of the work-wheel, and adapted to be fed upwardly at the same rate of sr-eed as the sleevespindle; means adapted to disengage said supporting means froth said live-spindle; and independent means adapted to vertically adjust said supporting -;1:-eans.

adapted to support the edge of tween said sleeve and spindle; mechanismadapted to positively feed the latter upwardly at a predetermined speed relative to said live-spindle; means .geared to said feeding mechanism in the ratio of one-to-one, adapted to support-the edge of the workwheel, and including a' vertically-movable screw carrying a friction-roller adapted to engage with said work-Wheel; means adapted to disengage said feeding'mechanism and said supporting mean'sfrom said live-spindle; and independent means adapted to vertically adjust said sleeve-spindle and said vertical screw.

6. In a machine for cutting gears, the combination of a live-spindlea sliding carriage movable toward an from said spindle; a vertical sleeve mounted in said carriage; a-spindle in said sleeve; tongueand-groove connections between said sleeve and spindle; a worm-wheel secured to the lower end of said sleeve; mechanism intermediate of said live-spindle and said wormwheel whereby said live-spindle and said sleeve are rotated at the proper relative speeds; across-member; a screw mounted in said crossmember and longitudinally fixed at its upper end to said sleeve-spindle; gearing intermediate of said screw and said livespmdle and including a shaft journaled in said cross-member; a second shaft; one-toone gearing connecting said two shafts; a

worm carried by saidsecond shaft and longitudinally movable thereof; an internally-threaded worm-wheel engaging with said Worm; a vertical screw received by said worm-wheel; a case slidably mounted in said carriage, inclosing said worm and worm-wheel and prov ded with apertures through which said last-mentioned screw may pass; and a vfriction-roller mounted. upon the top of said screw and adapted to engage with the under edge of the workwheel.

7. In a machine for cutting gears, the combination of a lit e-spindle; an arbor rotated by the latter; mechanism for positively feeding the work-wheel toward said tated by the latter; a vertical spindle ada tthe same rate of s eed as the upward move- 10 ed to carr 5 the work-wheel; mechanism or ment of said spin le.

positively feeding said spindle toward said Signed by me this 14th day of September arbor; a vertical screw carryiing a frictiotlll- 1906.

roller adapted to engage an support t e edge of the work-wheel; a worm-wheel ERNEST LEES' geared to said s indle-feeding mechanism, Attested by internally threa ed to receive said screw, JNO. F. OBERLIN,

and adapted to feed the latter upwardly at G. W. SAYWELL. 

